Shatter
by Catmint
Summary: It is 4 years after Draco Malfoy has left Hogwarts but, after defying his father, he has been forced to go into hiding. One night sees his entire world shattered. DMHA. Please R&R. Tissue warning.


Shatter

Disclaimer: Not mine not mine not mine not mine not mine. Have I made myself clear?

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A/N: Tissue warning – there are a lot of deaths in here. If you like Lucius (*shudders at the thought*), you probably won't want to read this because he is VERY EVIL INDEED. Please read and review, and note that flames will be added to the fire over which I toast marshmallows.

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"_Go_, for _God's _sake!"

"I'm not leaving you!"

"You _have_ to; I'm dying. I know there's no countercurse. Take Emily while you can still get away alive!"

"_No_, Hannah! I won't leave you!" He was kneeling by his wife, who was curled up on the stone floor of their home, and he had his two-year-old daughter on his hip.

"You _have_ to!" Hannah insisted fiercely. "I know I'm dying, but you and Em still have a chance! Take her; get _out_!"

"Out," Emily commented, tugging on her father's hair.

"See? Even Emily's telling you what you should do."

A 'pop' indicated the Apparition of someone. Emily's father couldn't bear to look as the hooded figure, clothed completely in black, strode over to them. "You heard her," he said briskly. "And I'm telling you the same. _He_ isn't coming until later, when his right-hand man has…'had some fun' with you; I believe that was the phrase used."

Emily's father turned to face the newcomer, rising slowly. "How do you know?" he demanded. 

"I've been a spy since before you were born. I've come to order you to get out of here."

"But Hannah's dying…A Death Eater hit her with the Exsanguination Curse. There's no countercurse; _you_ know that!"

The newcomer lowered his hood. "Very true. But there _is_ an antidote potion that has recently been created…By my very own hands, I might add."

"Who else is capable?" remarked the younger man drily. His voice filled with desperation. "_Please_ say you have it on you!"

"I don't," replied the newcomer sadly, shaking his head. "It can only be kept safely in an airtight lead container. Far too heavy to carry around, even in small quantities." He turned to Hannah. "Do you think you're physically strong enough to Apparate?"

"I'll give it a try."

"We're going to a safe-house. Lupin's," the newcomer informed them, scowling. "Not _my_ idea of a safe haven, but if Dumbledore says so, then that's where we'll stay. Right now, I'll take anywhere. Come on. Apparate _now_."

The room was suddenly empty, as the four were now in Remus Lupin's kitchen. He smiled when he saw them. "You got there in time, then, Severus."

Severus Snape, the hooded man, nodded briefly at his old school adversary. "I did. I just need to get the antidote for the Exsanguination Curse for Hannah." He strode out of the kitchen and down to the cellar where his potion lab was.

Hannah, with Remus' help, sank down onto a chair. She was pale now, her skin sweaty and clammy, her breathing loud and harsh. She was rapidly deteriorating, a result of internal bleeding from the curse.

"Mummy?" whispered Emily uncertainly.

Her father held her close to him, as much to comfort himself as his daughter. "Mummy will get better with Sev's help," he whispered in her ear, burying his face in her soft blonde hair in an effort to hide his tears. He _never_ cried; he hadn't done since he was four. But now he was. He loved Hannah more than anything else, except perhaps Emily, and he couldn't bear the possibility of losing her. Not now. He'd never been this terrified. He'd only left school four years ago, three years after the resurrection of Lord Voldemort in his fourth year. Dumbledore's announcement at the Leaving Feast had stunned him. He'd been too shocked to stand when the headmaster had proposed a toast to Cedric Diggory, murdered by Voldemort. His worst nightmares had come true that day, and they had only got worse since. Many of the people he had been at school with were either dead, in Azkaban, or in hiding. Some had been Death Eaters, loyal servants of Voldemort. This thought made him shiver. _Weaklings_, he thought contemptuously.

"You OK?" inquired Lupin, concerned.

He nodded, absentmindedly bouncing Emily up and down on his knees, making her giggle slightly tremulously. "Just…just thinking. About people."

Lupin nodded. "I often find myself doing that. Come on, let's get this little one to bed. It's late." He rose from his chair and beckoned to Draco, who followed him up the stairs. Lupin pushed a door open. "There's a bed for you and Hannah, and a small one for Emily. Severus helped me with it just before he went to fetch you. Come back down when she's settled."

"Thanks."

Lupin smiled. "It's what I'm here for." He pulled the door almost shut and went back downstairs.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Emily?"

"Want _my_ bed."

Her father sighed. "No can do, Em. Sorry, but we're sleeping here for a while."

"Oh." It wasn't the first time she'd had to suddenly sleep in a strange bed, and she accepted now that she was having to do so again. And it wasn't as though Lupin was a stranger to her, so she was more likely to settle sooner. "Night-night, Daddy."

"You have to wash and get into your night things first," Draco countered gently, spying a pale pink child's nightdress neatly folded on the pillow. _Lupin really does think of everything_, he noticed. He was thoroughly relieved when she didn't put up a fight, and she fell asleep before she could have a story told to her.

"Goodnight, Emily," her father whispered, gently tucking her in. He watched her for a moment, then slipped out of the room and back downstairs. Hannah was lying on the living-room sofa, her normally rosy face drained of all colour. "The potion should be working now," she said softly. "Where's Em?"

"Asleep, in bed," was the response. He sat down beside her and reached for her hand. "I thought I'd lost you," he admitted, his voice cracking.

Hannah smiled teasingly. "You can't get rid of me that easily!"

"Oh Han, _don't_ say stuff like that!" whispered Draco, fighting to keep back the tears that were threatening to spill down his cheeks. "I was so scared…" He wiped the first few tears away, but the floodgate had been raised and there was now no way of keeping back of the torrent coursing down his face.

"And I thought Malfoys didn't cry," a new voice commented mildly with a slightly scathing undertone.

"Sod off!" the Malfoy in question snapped.

"Sorry." He didn't sound particularly so.

"Liar. You never could lie convincingly, Potter."

"What are _you_ doing here, anyway, Malfoy?"

"Having my life saved, it seems."

"Are you on our side?" demanded Harry Potter sharply.

Draco Malfoy nodded. "My father's hell-bent on killing me. Ditto for Voldemort. Most of my old housemates are as well. People on _both_ sides want my blood, Potter. They don't trust me. Hannah, Severus, Lupin, my daughter, all do…nobody else. It's called lying low. Something no two-year-old should have to do, and _certainly_ not on a regular basis."

"Sorry, Malfoy; you lost me."

"I married Hannah Abbott the September after we left school – we'd been seeing each other secretly since Christmas of sixth year. Emily is our daughter. And for the record, Severus is my godfather and a spy for Dumbledore – the latter piece of information you probably already knew." His tone was short and harsh.

"Oh."

"Break it up," ordered Hannah, her voice stronger than before. "Harry, don't look like that. Trust us."

"Severus has plenty of Veritaserum if you _really_ don't believe me," added Draco coldly. "Come on, Han. You should be in bed." He gave Harry one last glare before helping Hannah to their room. He was used to being regarded with suspicion – not that he often ventured into the main wizarding world these days, now he was lying low. Anyway, he'd grown up with being suspected of every last misdeed in magical society; it was part of being a Malfoy.

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"They know you're with us."

"Huh?" Draco forced his eyes open several hours later. Severus was never gentle when it came to waking people up – mainly because he usually had to wake them in a hurry.

"You have to get out of here _now_!" hissed Severus.

Draco was instantly awake. "How do you know?"

"I was summoned to a meeting earlier; I've just this second got back."

Draco speedily pulled is clothes on and hurried over to the sink, where he splashed icy water onto his face to wake himself up properly. It was still dark (his watch informed him that it was 3.27am) and Severus was a black shape against the window.

"Don't wake Hannah or Emily. It's just you they want." Severus' voice was filled with frantic, panicked urgency.

"But –"

"_No_, Draco! _Go_!"

"What happened about the plot to kill Potter?"

"Draco, you're wasting precious time – time you don't have! _Forget_ Potter!"

"I want to know!" insisted Draco.

"He left a few hours ago. Don't ask me where; I don't know. I don't think they do, either –"

He was cut off by several popping sounds and a flash of pure white light. A tall man in Death Eater garb stepped forward, casually putting the sleeping forms of Draco's wife and child under the full Body Bind. He sneered. "Severus, of all people, aiding and abetting my enemies. _Such_ a change from school."

"Circumstances change," answered Severus shortly. "I'm not the same person every Slytherin copied homework from."

"That is perfectly apparent. You _are _aware that it was _Narcissa's_ idea to appoint you godfather of my son and not my own?"

"Of course. I am hardly stupid, Lucius."

"We shall see about that. _Crucio_."

Draco looked on helplessly as Severus crumpled tot he ground from the Unforgivable. It was beyond comprehension how he could not scream in agony.

He stepped forwards as his father ended the spell. "What do you want from me?"

Lucius removed his mask and regarded his son pityingly. "Do I really need to spell it out for you? _Loyalty_, Draco. _Loyalty_."

"Not to Voldemort, Lucius. _Never_ to Voldemort," Draco informed him coldly. "I will not kiss the robes of _anyone_. Certainly not those of some insane halfblood maniac. I've seen you do it, _Lucius_, and it's _pathetic_."

"Tut tut, child. _That _was a mistake. _Crucio_."

The pain seared through Draco. It was unbearable. He crumpled to the floor, curled up tightly. He would _not_ give his father the satisfaction of hearing him scream and beg for mercy. He was above that. He wouldn't give in. He was above that. Instead he bit his lip hard enough to taste blood.

It was over. He turned his head to look into his father's cold grey eyes, so like his son's in colour, yet the complete opposite when displaying emotion. Lucius was smirking. "Four hostages. Nott, get Lupin. Avery, release the woman and the child from the Body Bind," ordered Lucius. There was a manic gleam in his eyes now and Draco went cold. He knew what was coming; he'd have to be stupid not to. 

His father levelled his wand unwaveringly at him while Hannah, Emily, Lupin and Severus were placed in the centre of the room, inside a circle drawn on the floor, one that they could not leave without suffering immense pain. Emily was crying, Hannah comforting her whilst never looking at her captors. Severus was kneeling from where Macnair had forced him down, his cold gaze never leaving Lucius' back. Lupin wore an expression of calm acceptance, which did not surprise Draco in the least – the man never seemed fazed by anything. Facing death included.

"Nott, Avery, Macnair, Bellatrix, you know what to do," said Lucius lazily, jerking his head in the direction of the circle. Draco sensed, rather than saw, the four smirks as they placed the four hostages under the Cruciatus curse. Lupin and Severus' expressions barely flickered, but Hannah was whimpering, trying not to give in to the pain. Worst of all were Emily's high-pitched screams of pain and terror. It tore Draco's heart into pieces and a split second later, his wand was aimed directly, steadily, at his father. Hatred like never before flooded every cell in his body and he was on his feet. "Stop it. _Now_," he ordered.

"_Stop _it?" laughed Lucius in disbelief, a harsh cackle that echoed of madness. "But why would I want to do that? Remus Lupin is a werewolf, a Dark creature; Severus is nothing more than a traitor – and the other two are, quite frankly, wasting precious oxygen." He nodded at the four 'privileged' Death Eaters. "Leave them now. It is time for my son to partake in our activities – it is, after all, his heritage."

It was all Draco could do to remain on his feet. "What do you require me to do, _Father_?" he inquired, spitting out the last word as though it had a foul taste.

"I taught you the Unforgivables when you were little older than that child over there is now. You know the third and final one. Prove to me that I raised you correctly and use it. On all of them."

"_No_."

Lucius' nostrils flared and his pale face went white, contorting in fury. "You _will_ do as I tell you, child!" he hissed.

"Imperius won't work on me," Draco informed his father nonchalantly. "_You_ trained me to throw it off, remember?"

Lucius' face flickered and Draco felt his heart lift slightly. He'd forgotten!

"_Do it_!" hissed Lucius furiously. He was shaking with rage.

"No."

"Macnair, bring Severus," ordered Lucius. The Ministry executioner smirked, slipped through the magical barrier surrounding the circle and dragged the Potions teacher to his feet. He dragged him over to Lucius.

"Ah, Severus. Looks like it's time to say your final farewells," said Lucius, smirking. "Any last words?"

Severus met his gaze evenly. "You won't win, Lucius." He inclined his head to meet Draco's eyes. "Don't lose faith, Draco. And the school will need a new Potions teacher. As I speak, a recommendation is on its way to the appropriate people." He was calm, accepting of his fate. _He knew this would happen_, Draco realised, fighting to quell the rising wave of hopelessness. _He's known for years, ever since he turned away from Voldemort._

"_Avada Kedavra_!" whispered Lucius. Severus fell to the floor, dead. Lucius kicked his limp body to one side. "Bring Lupin, Bella," he commanded. As Lupin was brought over by Draco's aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange stumbled over the floor-length curtains, yanking them open. Lupin went rigid as moonlight flooded the room. It was full moon. Draco froze. He'd seen a werewolf (though not Lupin) transform, a year ago. It was an extremely unpleasant sight. And, he realised in horror, Severus had not had time to brew the Wolfsbane potion.

Lucius let out a yell as the wolf snapped at him before racing out of the room. Someone yelled, "_Avada Kedavra_!" but Draco couldn't tell whether Lupin had been hit or not (a single Killing Curse only weakened a werewolf; it took several simultaneously to actually kill one).

Lucius quickly regained his composure. "_Fool_!" he yelled at his sister-in-law. "_Crucio_!" He turned to Avery. "Bring the Abbott girl!" he snarled. Avery hurriedly obliged, knowing better than to anger Lucius further. Hannah's face was unreadable. "I love you, Draco," she whispered. 

Draco, barely able to speak, nodded. "I love you too. I'll never forget you, Han," he choked out. He held her gaze for the last few seconds of her life before Lucius hit her from behind. She crumpled to the floor, all life swiftly, cruelly, extinguished.

Draco's heart sank. Nott was dragging Emily over. This would be the hardest to deal with and Lucius knew it. He'd deliberately planned it this way.

Emily was forced to her knees by Nott. She looked up at her father, her blue eyes, which she'd inherited from her mother, clearly showed that she was absolutely terrified. "Daddy?"

Draco dropped to his knees and hugged her tightly. "I love you, Emily," he whispered fiercely. "I always will."

"I'm scared."

"I know you are, Emmy. But it'll all be okay. I promise. Be brave for Daddy, alright?" He lifted her chin with his hand and looked straight into her ice-blue eyes. He hated having to lie like this. It was killing him. As he held her, he heard his father whisper the two words that would end the small girl's short life, and a moment later Emily was slumped in his arms. He gripped her tightly, wand in hand as he turned tear-filled grey eyes on his father. "You bastard," he whispered furiously. "You absolute _bastard_." He raised his wand, but the Death Eaters, Lucius included, Disapparated before he could do anything. Defeated, he let his wand clatter to the floor. The sound was agonisingly loud in the silent room. He was too stunned, too shocked, to cry. Robotically he got to his feet and laid Emily on the double bed. Using his wand once he retrieved it from the floor, he placed his wife's still form on the bed beside their daughter and arranged the two bodies so Emily was lying in her mother's embrace, as though the two were simply sleeping. They both looked so peaceful that he almost believed that they _were_ just asleep.

He shook himself. Severus was moved to Emily's bad, also incredibly calm. That done, Draco's knees buckled and he fell to the floor, welcoming the black unconsciousness as it washed over him.

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A month later, on August 25th, the war was finally won. Harry Potter had, naturally, defeated Voldemort. Dumbledore had died in the final battle, weakening Voldemort so Harry could defeat him for good, and Minerva McGonagall had taken over as headteacher of Hogwarts School. Many other lives had been lost on both sides. Lucius had been captured and put to death, and his wife had committed suicide upon receiving the news. 

Since that fateful night in July, Draco had remained at St. Mungo's, not really acknowledging life. The month since his admittance had been a hazy blur. McGonagall had helped him with the arrangements for the funerals of Severus, Hannah and Emily. Draco had needed the help of Susan Bones, a mediwitch and Hannah's best friend from school, to help him through them. Emily and Hannah had had a joint one; it was only right, in Draco's mind. He hadn't been able to face going to Lupin's funeral, although he had managed to force himself to attend Severus'.

On August 26th, he was released from St. Mungo's to return home. He found a pile of rubble where the house had once stood. He was homeless.

He voiced this thought to McGonagall, who had accompanied him. She slipped an arm around his thin shoulders. "Then take up the post of Potions teacher at Hogwarts," she said. "Term starts in a week."

Numbly, Draco nodded. He still hadn't cried; the deaths had not yet sunk in properly. "I'll take it." His voice was emotionless, empty, dead.

"We can go there now, if you have nothing more to collect. I am meeting Harry and Ginny for lunch in Hogsmeade, if you wish to join me."

"I have nothing to collect. Let's go."

They Apparated, and McGonagall led him into The Three Broomsticks, where Harry and Ginny Weasley (Harry's fiancée) were waiting. They acknowledged Draco with nods of their heads. Ginny was clearly alarmed at his appearance. He had lost a considerable amount of weight, and his face was deathly white with heavy black circles under his eyes, which violently contrasted with his skin colour. His grey eyes were dull and lifeless. He was a broken man.

"So you're Professor Malfoy now," remarked Ginny lightly. Her face grew serious. "How are you holding up?"

Draco sank into the seat opposite her. "It doesn't seem real," he whispered. "Hannah…Hannah…Hannah's…_dead_. Emily's dead. I-I-I'll never see them again. Or Severus…Or Lupin…"

It was as though something had been triggered inside him by speaking those words out loud for the first time. The tears rose up and burst through the dam. All the pain, fear, horror, anguish and grief came pouring out as he broke down crying. Ginny slipped in beside him and hugged him tightly, not saying anything. She knew he needed to cry, to release the emotions he had bottled up and repressed for so long, to begin the healing process. Hannah was gone. Emily had not had a chance to have a life. Severus would not be able to take any more housepoints from Gryffindors (she smiled to herself at that thought) and Remus' death had closed the Marauders' time, as the only other surviving Marauder, Peter Pettigrew, had been killed by Voldemort, his master, for incompetence. She knew that Draco's world was completely and utterly destroyed now, and she just hoped he would be able to recover.

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~End~ 


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